Stencil device



y 1962' R. E. LEE 3,035,516

STENCI L DEVICE Filed Aug. 18, 1958 TIE,

5% s as 52 s+ 2 28 '3 'I' 22 1% Ma (IO INVENTOR. ROBERT E. LEE

ATOBA/EY United States Patent 3,035,516 STENCIL DEVICE Robert E. Lee, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Lee Brothers Company, Minneapolis, Minn., a partnership Filed Aug. 18, 1958, Ser. No. 755,486 2 Ciaims. (Cl. 101-125) This invention relates to a stencil device and especially to a hand or portable type.

Heretofore the stencil sheets or plates were not very securely mounted in the stencil frame and as a result the stencil devices did not remain in good operative condition for too long a time.

My stencil device comprises a stencil frame for carrying the stencil sheet. An ink pad frame is pivotally mounted to the stencil frame which permits quick insertion of the stencil sheet in the stencil frame and also quick removal of the stencil sheet from the stencil frame. The ink pad frame when moved to closed position holds the stencil sheet in operative position in the stencil frame. A clamp means is pivotally mounted on the ink pad frame and when the ink pad frame is moved to closed position in the stencil frame, the clamp can be actuated beneath the stencil frame for engaging lug means on the stencil frame which clamps the stencil frame to the ink pad frame for securely holding the stencil sheet in operative position in the stencil frame.

A leaf spring means is carried on the rear and front sides of the ink pad frame, and an ink pad means is removably mounted over the leaf spring means. The spring means thus provides a flexible mounting for the ink pad.

It is an object of this invention to provide in a stencil device of means for securely holding the stencil sheet in its operative position during its use.

It is another object of this invention to provide in a stencil device of means whereby the stencil sheet can be easily and quickly inserted into the stencil frame and can also be easily and quickly removed from the stencil frame.

It is still another object of this invention to provide in a stencil device of means for providing flexibility for the ink pad.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide in a stencil device of means which permits quick mounting and demounting of the ink pad in the ink pad frame.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereafter.

The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture possessing the features, properties and the relation of elements which Will be exemplified in the article hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the stencil device in assembled condition.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the stencil device illustrated in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view of the stencil device taken on line 33 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is an end elevational view of the stencil device, showing the clamp moved to unlock position and the ink pad frame moved to open position relative to the stencil frame.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is illustrated generally at an embodiment of the stencil device made of ordinary steel. Spring steel or any other appropriate material may be used in making the stencil device. The stencil device 10 consists of a stencil frame 12 which is of rectangular shape and comprises front and rear sides 14 and 16 of thin strips and opposite ends 18 and 26 of thin strips. The sides 14 and 16 are each provided with inwardly extending horizontal flanges 15 and 17 at their bottom edges and the ends 18 and 20 are also provided with inwardly extending horizontal flanges 19 and 21 respectively at their bottom edges. The flanges 15, 17 and 19 and 21 provides support means for a stencil sheet (not shown). The bottom of the stencil frame is open as at 22. A stop means 24 is formed in the front side 14 at its top portion and extends outwardly from the stencil frame 12 for a purpose set forth hereinafter. The ends 18 and 20 are each provided with an outstanding lug 26 for a purpose set forth hereinafter.

The ends 18 and 20 are each provided with a rearwardly extending car 28 for pivotally mounting an ink pad frame 39. The ink pad frame 30 consists front and rear sides 32 and 34 made of thin sheet material and opposite ends 36 and 38 of thin sheet material. The sides 32 and 34 are provided with inwardly extending horizontal flanges 49 and 42 and the opposite ends 36 and 33 of the ink pad frame 30 are provided with inwardly extending horizontal flanges 44 and 46 respectively. The ink pad (not shown) is adapted to be supported on the flanges 4t 42, 44 and 46. A leaf spring 48 is mounted by a hook means 50 on each end of the flanges 40 and 42 for the front and rear sides 32 and 34 of the ink pad frame 30 and provide flexible means for the ink pad in use. The ends 36 and 33 are each provided with a rearward ear 52 for providing means for pivoting the ink pad frame 30 to the stencil frame 12 as at 54, 54.

An upstanding. arm 56 is formed on the front and rear sides 32 and 34, and on the upper ends of which is mounted a pivotal latch 53 for holding the ink pad in the ink pad frame 30.

The opposite ends 36 and 38 of the ink pad frame 30 are each provided with vertical car 60. A clamp 64 has its opposite ends 66 slightly loosely and pivotally mounted to the cars 69 on the opposite ends of the ink pad frame 30.

The ink pad is mounted in the open bottom of a plastic reservoir 70, and a screw threaded inlet 72 in the top of the reservoir is adapted to receive the screw threaded neck of an ink bottle 74 for feeding ink into the pad. The bottle 74 serves as a handle for the stencil device 19.

The sides and ends of the ink pad frame 30 are slightly shorter than the sides and ends of the stencil frame 12 so that the ink pad frame will snugly fit into the stencil frame 12, see FIGURES 1, 2, and 3.

When the latches 58 are pivoted away from the top of the plastic reservoir 70, the reservoir and its ink pad can be removed from the ink pad frame 30.

The clamp 64 is shown in unlocked position in FIG- URE 4 of the drawing, and the ink pad frame 30 is shown in open position with rsepect to the stencil frame 12, and in this position a stencil sheet can be easily mounted in the stencil frame 12. After the stencil sheet is mounted over the bottom of the ink pad in the ink pad frame the knob 24 is grasped to move stencil frame 12 around the ink pad frame 30. Now the clamp 64 can be moved downwardly and beneath the stencil frame 12 until the depending arms 65 of the clamp engages the lugs 26 on the opposite ends of the stencil frame 12, thus moving the stencil frame 12 and its stencil sheet into firm contact with the bottom of the ink pad in the ink pad frame 30. Thus the clamp 64 securely holds the stencil and the ink pad frames together. A rubber 3 grommet is mounted on the bottom of the side flanges 40 and 42 and on the end flanges 44 and 46 of the ink pad frame 3% for securely gripping the stencil sheet in the frame 12.

If it is desired to replace the stencil sheet from the stencil frame 12, then the clamp 64 is moved to the top of the ink pad frame 3%, see FIGURE 4 of the drawing.

The stop means 24 on the stencil frame 12 acts as a limit stop for the clamp 64 when moved to its locked position on the stencil device It and the stop 24 also serves as a knob for the stencil frame.

A stencil sheet may be mounted in the stencil device to cover one portion of the ink pad and which sheet is for the addressers address. Then a second stencil sheet for the addressees address is laid unattached over the uncovered portion of the ink pad. The addressee stencil sheets can be quickly substituted when used in the above manner. An ink proof paper could be mounted over the ink pad for preventing the ink pad from drying out when the device is not being used.

A machine actuated stencil device could employ my clamping means.

It will thus be seen that the objects hereinbefore set forth may readily and efficiently be attained, and since certain changes may be made in the above articles and difierent embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a stencil device of the character described including a stencil frame provided with opposite sides and ends, an outwardly extending lug formed on each of the opposite ends of the stencil frame, an ink pad frame comprising opposite sides and ends, the opposite ends of the ink pad frame hinged to the opposite ends of the stencil frame at one side of the stencil frame, an upstanding arm formed on each of the opposed sides of the ink pad frame, the arms being provided with cars extending outwardly from the sides of the ink pad frame, a pivotal latch mounted on each of said ears, the stencil frame fitting around the ink pad frame, an ear formed on each of the opposite ends of the ink pad frame, and a clamp comprising an elongated bar having an angular leg formed at each end of the bar, the legs hinged to the ears on the ends of the ink pad frame, the elongated bar being actuatable around the hinged side of the ink pad and stencil frames and beneath the stencil frame for engaging the legs of the clamp "with the lugs on the ends of the stencil frame for securely holding the stencil and ink pad frames together.

2. In a stencil device of the character described including a stencil frame provided with opposite sides and ends, an outwardly extending lug formed on each of the opposite ends of the stencil frame, an ink pad frame comprising opposite sides and ends, the opposite ends of the ink pad frame hinged to the opposite ends of the stencil frame, upstanding arm means formed on each of the opposed sides of the ink pad frame, the said arms means being provided with means for projecting over the top of the ink pad frame, the stencil frame fitting around the ink pad frame, an ear formed on each of the opposite ends of the ink pad frame, and a clamp comprising an elongated bar having an angular leg formed at each end of the bar, the legs hinged to the ears on the ends of the ink pad frame, the elongated bar being actuatable around the hinged side of the ink pad and stencil frames and beneath the stencil frame for engaging the legs of the clamp with the lugs on the ends of the stencil frame for securely holding the stencil and ink pad frames together.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 451,702 Sims May 5, 1891 704,627 Gard July 15, 1902 804,326 Keeler Nov. 14, 1905 1,445,447 Pritchard Feb. 13, 1923 1,523,231 Mason Jan. 13, 1925 1,576,666 Mason Mar. 16, 1926 1,726,240 Schmidt et al Aug. 27, 1929 FOREIGN PATENTS 590,122 Germany Dec. 27, 1933 

